Door lock



A. W. THOMAS Sept. 4, 1951 DOOR LOCK Filed Jan. 11, 1949 2 W "F w u Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE noon Look Arthur Thomas. os zeles; Calif- Application January 11, 1949; Serial No. 70,156

2 chime c1. 29%3'3'7") 1 This invention relates todoor locks, mama ticularly to improvements indoor latching devices of the type disclosed in my Patent No; $491,783 datedDeoember 203 1949i Oneobject of my invention isto provide a door lock which is adjustableein Widthto adaptit t'o be readily applied to use on doors oi -various jwidths; said lock employing adjustingscrews of sp'eb'ialform which; in addition to drawing op- Dosite' sides of the lock toward eachoth'er to clamp the same ln-place'on' the door; serve t'ore 'tai'n the parts inoperative position tb prevent relative rotation of the lock-elements;

Another object isto providea doorlocls which embodies a' latch-bolt; unit mounted 1ri= an open crating meanswhich comprises a housing disposed in a transverseopening of the door and including a slidably operating member fo'pera tively connected to thelatch-bolt to (slide the same said housing having aflange" engage'able against ohe 'sid'e of the door; the" lockal-so h'avingmanually operable knobs at each side 'orithe doorand" spindles connected to the k olo" adapted, when rotated} j I meinber;- the look further includingan am an plate surrounding one o'fthe knob spind provided with curved-bayonetslots tor' r; vine the adjusting screws, tightening of" the-screws" causing the plate and hoiising'tobe drawn toward each otherto-rotain the' lock on the door. Itis-a related object to'provide an eseut'oheon pl'atefol" concealing the annular clamping r plate and ad justing screws, said escu'tche'om plate encircling the knob spindle and being composed of ai pair of concentric rings; the oute'r ring being: detachajbly connected to theclamping" plate and being movable transversely of the inner nng so asto" reduce the radial dimension of the" escutcheon plate-atone side, so as to providecleararioe for permitting engagement and rotation of the" ad lusting screws by a screw-driver extending-generally axially withrespeo't to the kno'b" spindle? Another object is to a provide a door lock which includes separate knob-actuated means an sliding: the:- latch-boltoperating: member to, retract the latch-bolt,- and a keyactuated iflemis also operative to 'slide the operating member;the' loclva-lso embodying a novel means tor locking: the outer knob-actuated means, and manuallycon trolled means on the inner knobactuated nieans for" operating the locking means whllemerniitting operation-of the keyMactuated-means:

Anotherobjectris to provide a; 10%;]:- which includes roller means by which the latch-bolt};

2. operating member is freely mounted for easy sliding movement within the housing, the rollers being tapered and engaging inclined runners on the} operating member, so that the latter is retained-in its path of movement without the use of elements which might cause frictional resistanceto the sliding movement of the member.

A further object is to providea door lock which relativelysimple in construction and durable in usegand' one which is highly efficient in performing its intended function; 7

Further objects willbe set forth in the following specificatioh,-Which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention, by way ofexample, as illustratedby the accompanying drawing. In the'drawing:

Fig. l. is ahorizontal sectional view through an edge'of a-door', showingmy improved lock ap-' plied to usctherewith;

Fig. 2* is a-'- cross-sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Fig 1;-

Fig.- 3 isacross-sectional view, takenon line 3 4 ofFig 1 Fig. 4=is a sectlonalview, taken on lined-40f Fig 2,; and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, taken on line of'F'ig. 4.

Referring to the drawing in detaiL-the latching and lockingdevice is shown as applied to a hinged door H), the free vertical edge only of which is shown. Since the present device is similar to that disclosed in my pending applicatlon referred to previously, the present description will be confined largely to the improvements outlinedin the preamble of this application; and reference is made to the pendingapplication for amore'detailed description of the general struct'u-re:

The latching and locking device includes a latching unit H which 'comprises alatch l2 slidable axially in a tubular bearing l3 disposed in,

an opening l4 eiztendinginwardly from the edge of the door II]. A coil spring 15 compressedbe' tween a cross-element l6 and the latch l2 normally acts to propel-the latter outwardly to cause ittokproject intoa keeper (not shown), when the door. is swung to 'closed position, the outward movement of the latch being limited by the en gagement of a shoulder. l1 thereon with a flange Hlon the" tubular bearing 13.

Disposed in a transverse opening H; of the door H1 is acup-shaped housing 29 which has a Y pe ripheral flange '2! at its'open end adapted'to-sea't' against the outerside of the door. The inner end and that portion of the periphery of the" housing 20, which is adjacent the latch-bolt unit I I, are provided with connected openings 22 and 23, respectively. An annular clamping plate 25 is disposed against the inner side of the door with its peripheral portion engaging the door adjacent the edge of the opening 19. A pair of attaching screws 26 having tapered heads 21 are adapted to be screwed into tapped holes in the end wall of the housing 20, the screws passing throughcurve'dfbay'onet openings 28" i n '.the clamping plate (Fig. The openings 28' have enlarged portions 29 at one end to adapt the plate to be placed over the heads of the screws 26, the plate then being turned to cause the. screws 26 to be positioned at the opposite ends 30 of the openings.

As shown in FigL 4'; the ator rod. 6B is connected to a tubular finger-piece metal surrounding the ends 30 is depressed to provide, in efiect, sockets in which the tapered portions of the screw heads 21 are adapted to seat. By tightening the screws 26, the housing 20 is drawn toward the clamping .plate 25, and thus retained in place in the door.

A frame member 33 is, disposed within the housing 20 and is retained thereinby virtue of. the engagement of its ends with the inner surface of-the housing and a screw 34 (Figs. 1 and 2). The frame member 33 is substantially channelshape in cross-section, and its upper and lower flanges. have openings at the ends 7 of p which arevertical e'ars .35. Extending between each pair of ears is a pin. 36 on which is rotatable atapered roller 31. A similar but smaller roller 38 is rotatable between the vertical sides oi; the frame member 33, said, roller being arranged on the horizontal center line of the housing'll].

A latch-bolt operating member 46 is disposed within-the housing 20 andadapted to slide transversely thereof. The member 40 is substantially fork-shaped, being provided with upper and lower horizontal legs M which are connected'by a vertical strip 42 (Fig. 2). As shown in Fig. 4, the legs ,4! have bent inclined-portions or runners 43 which engage the peripheries of the rollers 31.- to adapt the member 40 to move laterally toward and'away from the edge of the door It). The metal of the legs M of the, operating member 40 is bent laterally to provide a-pair of centrally'locatedinclined runners 44 whichembrace the third roller 38. It will be apparent, by referring to Fig. 4, that the rollers 31, and 38, in addition to providing mounting means. for the operating member 40,-a1soco-operate .with the inclined runners 43 and. 44 in maintaining the. member in position against-the .inner facedthe frame member 33, and this is a feature, of-

the presentinvention, it being noted that-the operatingv member is. retained without theuse of separate bent portions of the frame, so that friction is reduced to .a minimum andfree movement .of the member in thehousing is assured. The operating member 40 is provided with a; bent finger; 45 which is engageable in a slitof thelatch-bolt l2. I Brazed or otherwise attached to and eXtend-; ing vertically between'the runners 43 is agenerally curved element 48 which has 'a central U- shaped portion 49. A pair of coil springs 50 compressed between the element 48 and lugs on theframe member '33 act to urge the operating member 40 toward the edgeof the door so as to project the latch-bolt I2 outwardly- The .operating member 20 is, however; adapted to be moved in the opposite direction, against the action of the springs 50 by means-to be nextgdee scribed. i 1

The clamping plate 25, previously described, carries a tubular shell in which is rotatable a. tubular spindle 56 having an inner knob 51 secured to its outer end and by which the spindle can be rotated. The inner end of the spindle 56 has an arcuate actuator 58, either edge of which is adapted to engage the curved portion of the element 48, depending upon which direction the spindle is turned by the knob, whereby to force ithope'rating' member; llli'towariiflthe right, as

indicatedby the-broken lines in "Fig. 2, so as to retract the latch 12. A lock-actuator element 60, in the form of a slender rod, is slidable axially in the spindle 56 and extends through the housing 20, as shown in Fig. l, the end of the-rod having'an enlargement SI. The actu- '62' which i's"'normally projected from the knob EI- by 'a spring 63. The finger-piece 62 has a shoulder 1 64 which, when the finger-piece is pressed ,inwfardly and turned, engages a fixed lug. 65 within the shell 55 so as to retain the same in th p sition. I

Slidably mounted on the'tubular shell 55 and thehub'of the knob 51 is a frusto-conical rin 68. Surrounding the ring 68 is a second similarly shaped ring69, the tworings together providing an escutcheon plate 10.' The purpose of this twopart construction will be apparent by referring to Fig. 4, wherein it will be seen that by drawing the escutcheon plate outwardly along the shell 55, the outerring 69 can be lowered with respect to the inner ring 68 so'as to provide clearancevfor a screw-driver l I, when the latter is employed for tightening or looseningthe attaching screws 26, and this is also a-ieature of the present invention. 4 The operating member 40 is also adapted to be moved to retracted-position by an outer manually-operable means, which includes a circular plate 15 having aniaxial tubular shell 11 secured thereto. The plate 'IBis' attached to the peripheral fiangezi'l of the housing 20 b screws '18, and is provided with a notch 19 at the intersection ,of the inner portion of the plate and the shell Tl, Rotatable in the shell 11 is a tubular spindle which .carries the outer knob 8|, this spindle having an arcuate actuator portion 82 disposed: within the housing 20 and adapted, when rotated inclockwise direction (Fig. 3 to force theqoperating member 40 toward the right (Fig.2) soas to retract the latch-boltl2, the spindle 80, carrying the tumbler housing of a tumblerrlock 81. Rotatable within the spindle 80 is a, smaller tubular spindle 8 5,which also has an arcuate actuator portion 86 adapted, when this spindle is rotated in counterclockwise direction (Fig-.-;3') .to retract .the operating member 40 and lfitCIl-rhOl-tJ-Z. {The outer end of the spindle carries the rotatable cylinder of the ,tumbler type;

ators 82 and1=86. -I-Iowever,.means are provided for preventing rotation. of the knob .;8I andits. spindle 18.0 when the finger-piece ,:62 -"is lockedain 76, depressed position... .This means consistsot-a.

tubular locking member 90 which is slidable axially in a tubular bearing 9| formed integral with a plate 92 secured to the side of the frame member 33 (Fig. 1). The locking member 90 has a reduced bore 93 at its inner end through which the tip of the lock-actuator rod 60 passes. The member 90 has a radial arm 95 of a Width adapted to enter the notch 19 of the plate 16, and an aligned notch 96 in the inner end of the spindle 80. Closing the outer end of the bearing 9| is a thimble 91, and compressed between this thimble and the locking member 90 is a spring 98 which forces the member inwardly to normally displace the locking arm 95 from the aligned notches l9 and 96. When the lock-actuator rod 60 is forced inwardly, however, the enlargement 6| thereof engages the inner end of the locking member 90, to force the arm into the notches 19 and 96 so as to prevent rotation of the spindle 89 and retain the latch-bolt I2 in outer locked position. The latch-bolt l2 may, however, be retracted by rotating the spindle 85 by inserting an appropriate key in the tumbler lock 81 and turning the same, it being apparent from Fig. 1 that the inner end of the spindle 85, which is disposed adjacent the arm 95, terminates short of the notches 19 and 96. The improved locking elements 69, 90, 19, 96, together provide a simple and positive means for locking the outer spindle 80 against rotation and is an important feature of the present invention.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides several improvements in door lock structures of the general type shown in my pending application, referred to herein, these improvements providing greater ease of movement of the latch-bolt operating elements and a more positive means for locking the outer spindle against actuation, besides providing greater facility in installing the locking device on the door.

The improvements disclosed herein are susceptible of various modifications which would fall within the spirit of the invention. Consequently I do not wish to be limited in this respect, but desire to be afforded the full scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door and including a latch-bolt unit insertable in an opening in an edge of the door, said unit having a slidable latch-bolt, the combination of: a housing insertable in a transverse opening in the door; tapered rollers within said housing; an operating member having inclined longitudinal runners engageable with and movable along said rollers, the inclination of said runners corresponding with the taper of said rollers so that said rollers retain said operating member within its plane of sliding movement; and manually operable means for sliding said operating means.

2. In a lock structure adapted for use on a door and including a latch-bolt unit insertable in an opening in an edge of the door, said unit having a slidable latch-bolt, the combination of a housing insertable in a transverse opening in the door; tapered rollers rotatable in said housing; an operating member having inclined longitudinal runners engageable with and movable along said rollers, said runners and rollers cooperating in maintaining said operating member against an inner surface of said housing; and manually operable means for sliding said operating member.

ARTHUR W. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,256,992 Edgor et a1 Feb. 19, 1918 1,653,512 Schlage Dec. 20, 1927 1,751,101 Schlage Mar. 8, 1930 1,843,143 Rymer Feb. 2, 1932 1,991,031 Schlage Feb. 12, 1935 2,240,400 Johnson Apr. 29, 1941 2,293,856 Schlage Aug. 25, 1942 2,297,077 Schlage- Sept. 29, 942 2,491,783 Thomas Dec. 20, 1949 2,536,494 Erkkila Jan. 2, 1951 

